Children's Chapel Just a reminder to those parishioners with babies and small children that the Children's Chapel to the left of the Alter is available during Mass. 'Can you spend one hour with me?' Every Friday evening in the Convent Chapel there is Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Rosary from 8:00pm to 9:00pm. Why not come and join us in prayer. Alter Servers Evening On Friday 9th July between 6:30pm to 8:00pm. All servers are welcome!	.: home       .: services       .: news/events       .: contacts       .: links Pope Benedict XVI to visit Britain in 2010 It will be the first Papal visit to Britain since Pope John Paul II's trip in 1982. The trip is to be the first official state visit by a Pontiff. Dates have been confirmed from 16th to 19th September. For more information please go to www.thepapalvisit.org.uk/ Holy Days of Obligation These are special Feast days of the Church, when we have the same obligation to attend Mass as on Sundays. These are now St. Peter and St. Paul on Tuesday 29th June, The Assumption Sunday 15th August, All Saints Monday 1st November and Christmas Day Saturday 25th December, and these will often fall on weekdays. Holy days such as The Ascension, Corpus Christi (Feasts of Our Lord) are moved to the nearest Sunday. Papal Visit of Pope Benedict September 16th to 19th Many people will remember the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1982. It was a special time for the Catholics of this country to celebrate their faith, and give witness to our Catholic faith. So too with the visit of Pope Benedict. We are encouraged to attend two Papal events this time. A prayer vigil in Hyde Park on Saturday 18th September or a Mass of the Beautification of Cardinal John Henry Newman in Birmingham on Sunday 19th September. For security reasons everyone who attends must have a pilgrim pass and book in advance. If you would like to attend you must book within the next week, the closing date will be next Sunday 1st August. Please take the pink form from the back of the Church, and return it asap with the required fee. Places will be given on a first come first served basis. Welcome to God's Family! Daniel Oscar Troy who will be baptised this Sunday. May God Bless him and his family. A Day with Mary At St. Mary's Church, Clapham Park Road London SW4 on Saturday 14th August at 10:15am. Please see poster at the back of the Church. The Year for Priests 19th June 2009 - 19th June 2010 Pope Benedict XVI has declared a “Year for Priests” beginning with the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 19, 2009. The year will conclude in Rome with an international gathering of priests with the Holy Father from June 9-11, 2010.                                                                                                                           + more Father John Kenny RIP Who was Parish priest at St. Thomas More, Lordship Lane, Dulwich has died in retirement in Ireland on Friday 9th July. There will be a Memorial Mass for him at St. Thomas More Church on Tuesday 27th July at 7:30pm. Please pray for the repose of his soul. May he rest in peace. Deacon John Sampson RIP Many who went to Lourdes on pilgrimage will remember Deacon John and his wife Maureen from New Malden Parish. Deacon John died on 16th July after a long illness. His Requiem Mass is on Friday 30th July at St. Joseph's, New Malden. Please pray for his family at this time. Stella O'Rourke RIP Please pray for Stella who died on Saturday 17th July at home. Stella attended Saturday evening Mass and will be greatly missed by her family and friends. Please pray for them at this time. May God give her eternal peace. Next Meeting for Baptism Preparation on Saturday 11th September at 10:00am. Entrance doors to the Upper Room For parents of babies who wish to have them baptised. Parents of older children should contact Canon Michael separately through the Parish Office. At this meeting the meaning of the Sacrament is explained, and the responsibilities of parents and godparents. Parents should be attending Mass and live within the area of Upper Norwood. Please note that either parent can attend this meeting and arrangements should be made to have babies looked after, so as to give their full attention to the meeting. Fun and Games in the Crystal Palace Park on Saturday 14th August. All kinds of ball games near children's playground, followed by a BBQ below the steps of the walkway. Drinks for sale. Donations towards food on the day. Please sign form at the back of the Church. For further information please contact Paula. Number available from the Parish Office. After 36 Years the Salsian Sisters are leaving Streatham They will be leaving Streatham at the end of August. There will be several events held to celebrate their service to the local community. Calling all young people! World Youth Day Thousands of young people from all over the world who will be taking part in a week long series of events in Madrid2011, culminating in Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict on 21st August 2011. To find out more please come to St. Mary's Hall, West Croydon on Tuesday 28th September between 7:45pm to 9:30pm. This will be an opportunity to meet some of the young people who's lives were changed by taking part in similar events in Cologne in 2005, and Sydney in 2008. Adults are also invited so that they can encourage their children to take part. APF Red Boxes July is an APF Red Box collection month, so please bring your box to Church for emptying or, if you have your box emptied at home, expect a visit from your collector. If you have any questions about the Red Boxes, or would like to have one in your home, please call local secretary David Freke, number available from Parish Office, or email davidroy@aol.com. Can you give someone a lift to Mass? If so please sign your name and telephone number on the list on the Porch. This would be most appreciated by those who find it difficult on public transport. Thank you to the Confirmation Candidates Who painted the picture of the Apostles on the Sea of Galilee. This is to mark the Year of the Priest. Also thank you to all who helped. Hymn Books It's easy to put a hymn book under your arm and forget to leave it in Church! If you find that you have one at home, please return it to Church, as we are getting very short of them. Just leave it in the bookshelf in the Porch. Many thanks. Parking on Central Hill Please show consideration to our neighbours when parking. Do not park across driveways or entrances and do not park in the disabled bays unless you have a badge. Please use the Church car park off Hermitage Road (or you could be green and leave the car at home). Careless parking can cause serious accidents. Catholic Papers We have several Catholic Newspapers which give an international, as well as national, view of the Church. They are a good way of keeping up to date with our faith. However, only a few people buy one - so I'm thinking of cancelling our order. If you take a paper please let the bookstall know so that we can get an idea, and maybe we may be able to only reduce the order. Gift Aid Scheme / Standing Orders Contributions Thank you to everyone who belongs to the Gift Aid Scheme and contributed through it in 2009. Do you contribute through a standing order with your bank to support our Parish? If so, have you disclosed this under under Gift Aid? This will increase the value of your donation by signing a Gift Aid Declaration. Please contact Claire Line or Canon Michael. Ghana Catholic Chaplaincy (GCC) UK For the effective running of the chaplaincy, London has been divided into 5 sectors, and our Parish falls under the South West sector. All Ghanaians are requested to call their Sector Representatives (Mr Akwasi Boateng or Mr Agaye-Arhin - numbers available from the Parish Office) to discuss membership of the Ghanaian Catholic Chaplaincy. Alternatively contact Rev. Joseph Akono (Ghanaian Chaplain - number available form the Parish Office). A Time for Mourning - A Retreat /Workshop for those suffering from pain of loss From Friday 5th to Sunday 7th November at Aylesford Priory. For more information please contact Elizabeth Partridge through the Parish Office. Christian Mothers Association The Association will be open here in the Upper Room on every 2nd Sunday of the month from 1:00pm to 3:00pm (prompt start). All are welcome. Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes "With Bernadette we make the Sign of the Cross" Friday 20th Aug to Friday 27th Aug Every year a group from the Parish has gone on Pilgrimage to Lourdes, we hope to go again this year. Travel by rail from £630.00, air from £680.00 and coach £465.00. For further information email or contact Deacon Michael Kennedy (number available from Parish Office). Or have a word with Canon Michael, booking forms are available from the Parish office). Many application forms have been taken away - if you are definitely going bookings must be made now. Please let Canon Michael know if you are going. Pilgrimage to The Holy Land & Mount Sinai Canon Michael is leading a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land from Wednesday 17th to Monday 29th November 2010. The cost will be £1,075.00. This will include accommodation in 4 star hotels, meals breakfast & dinners, excursions to the holy places with guide and transport. This is a once in a lifetime experience, and will bring the Gospels alive for you. Pilgrims are advised that there is a full programme with a lot of walking involved. For details and booking forms please contact Mrs Cilla Hermann or Canon Michael for further information. J&P CAFOD Help Fight Poverty We are collecting old mobile phones and used inkjet cartridges. Please leave them in the back of the Church. Thank you. CAFOD Prayer for the people of Haiti Light shines in darkness, and darkness could not overpower it. (John 1:5) At this time of darkness for the people of Haiti, we remember all those who have died in the earthquake, and the thousands who are injured, homeless or afraid. God, in your love and compassion, you are with us always. You understand the devastation of bereavement, may your spirit comfort those who mourn. God, in your love and compassion, you are with us always. You are a light that shines in the darkest times, guide, support and strengthen all those in need. God, in your love and compassion, you are with us always The Ascent Movement Is for men and women around 60 yrs and over. It is an international movement of the Church with 3 aims Spirituality, Mission and Friendship. About 12 of us meet every other Monday at 1.30pm in the parish Upper Room. After a cuppa and relaxing chats we sing a hymn, say a few prayers and then will look at maybe a Gospel extract, life of a Saint or take something Church related as a theme. Discussion follows and our members share life  experiences, joys and concerns  but often enjoy a good laugh. We finish about 2.45pm. Please do ring Paula Conrad (number available from Parish Office) if you would like to join us. CRB Application It is a legal requirement for anybody working with children or vulnerable adults to have a CRB check completed. Many volunteers in the Parish have already completed their applications and have their forms. Anybody who has not completed an application for their voluntary role should contact Gina (phone number available from Parish Office) for advice and assistance with the process, and obtaining the applications. On Sunday 11th April, between 10:00am and 12:00pm Noon, there will be a drop in at the Presbytery 143 Central Hill, for people to come with their applications, and for advice and support. Many thanks for your continued support and time. Children's Liturgy This is just a note to remind everyone about the Children's Liturgy. The Children's Liturgy Group is set up to enable children from 3 years old up to the age of 7 / 8 years (who have not made their First Holy Communion) to access the Liturgy of the Word in a child friendly way. We have a very short time period to try to ensure the children not only leave us having gained some understanding of the Gospel, but to have also enjoyed the session. To help us with this we would ask that: 1.   When Canon Michael calls for the children to come forward we would appreciate it if you could encourage your children to come out promptly. 2.   Unless your child is very young, and still needs you with them, please send them in on their own as our space is limited, and having parents in the room can sometimes be a distraction, for not only the children, but for the Group trying to take the session. However, if you are coming into the Children's Liturgy Room perhaps you would like to join the team; we are a very small group and really would appreciate more parents signing up. If you would like more information about joining the Group, and what is involved, please speak to any member of the team. We thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter. The Children's Liturgy Group Parent's with children in years 4, 5 & 6 of Junior School The admissions policy of Catholic Secondary Schools will only require a Priest to base his reference on Sunday Mass attendance, with no other information required. Therefore to ensure that this information is accurate and verifiable, parents are asked to fill out a slip on certain Sunday's of the year and return these to Canon Michael personally after Mass. The information will be stored and will be evidence of Mass attendance, if required by the schools. This information will be required from all year groups, so as to give a pattern of attendance. Slips will not be issued during school holidays. Parents are reminded that attendance at Sunday Mass is part of the responsibility they undertook for their children at Baptism, and is an expression of living out our Catholic faith in the Eucharist. Parents who are not able to attend Mass for reasons of health or other circumstances should inform Canon Michael. Coloma is 140 Years Old! Mrs. Martin and the staff at Coloma Convent Girl's School are planning celebrations throughout the 2009/10 academic year. These will mark 140 years since the school opened in 1869 by the Sisters of the Congregation of Mary and Joseph (Ladies of Mary). We are keen to contact former pupils, staff, parents and anyone else connected with the school. Please call Vicky on 020 8654 6228 ext 295. email: anniversary@coloma.croydon.sch.uk Tickets for Coloma Old Girl's Association reunion on Saturday 8th May, can be purchased via the school's website. Click on the school badge to link to their website. Virgo Fidelis Prep School Nursery Has vacancies for September 2010. The Early Years allowance is available. Please call 020 8653 2169 fore more information. Retired or near retirement Catholic teachers ? Cultural exchange with China seeks mature age Catholic teachers to spend a year teaching English in China. Teachers with other subject interests could also be considered. Free accommodation, adequate salary and an amazing, enriching experience guaranteed. For further details contact Bill O'Doherty for further details (contact details available from the Parish Office). Cultural Exchange with China is a project run by the Columban fathers, whose magazine is the 'Far East'. New 2009/ 2010 Rota for Mass Readers Please click here to link to 2009 / 2010 Rotas'. 2009 Rota for Eucharist Ministers Please click here to link to 2010 Rota. Children's Liturgy This is just a note to remind everyone about the Children's Liturgy. The Children's Liturgy Group is set up to enable children from 3 years old up to the age of 7 / 8 years (who have not made their First Holy Communion) to access the Liturgy of the Word in a child friendly way. We have a very short time period to try to ensure the children not only leave us having gained some understanding of the Gospel, but to have also enjoyed the session. To help us with this we would ask that: 1.   When Canon Michael calls for the children to come forward we would appreciate it if you could encourage your children to come out promptly. 2.   Unless your child is very young, and still needs you with them, please send them in on their own as our space is limited, and having parents in the room can sometimes be a distraction, for not only the children, but for the Group trying to take the session. However, if you are coming into the Children's Liturgy Room perhaps you would like to join the team; we are a very small group and really would appreciate more parents signing up. If you would like more information about joining the Group, and what is involved, please speak to any member of the team. We thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter. The Children's Liturgy Group Booking Masses A reminder about booking a Mass at Virgo Fidelis Church. Please use the brown envelope and put the offering inside. At least 2 months notice should be given as Masses get booked in advance. We will try to get the date asked for but sometimes this is not always possible. Bookings for Masses should not be given over the phone, please use the envelopes provided. Getting married in 2010? If you are planning on getting married here or abroad, it is the policy of the Diocese that you give at least 6 months notice of your marriage, so that sufficient preparations can be made. This also includes couples who are intending to get married abroad. Please contact the Parish Office to make an appointment to see Canon Michael. Click here to go to the Virgo Fidelis Church Photo's Link This Sunday there is a retiring collection for the Apostleship of the Sea.	Latest newsletter   Our newsletter is published every Sunday and can be collected at the rear of the church during mass times. Download the Church Newsletter The newsletter is in PDF format. If you are unable to view it you can download Adobe Reader from the link below Offertory Collections: The offertory collection supports the work of our Parish. Thank you for your generosity. The Church of the Faithful Virgin (Virgo Fidelis)supports Traidcraft. Traidcraft Website Link